Threads of Despair
by SnivyShadow
Summary: Discord is truly dead, and as order seems ready to prosper a mysterious pony has entered this world through the place where the elements of harmony were fully realized. An ancient deity is coming to Equestria. Something is coming. But what can you do when your greatest weapon is theirs as well.
1. Chapter 1

"Luxern are you sure about this?" His brother Umbrax asked him. "It was the only way brother, you know it yourself," Luxern told him. Umbrax sighed heavily. "Vitam and Mortez have searched for the lives of her fragments, they have found one of them but the other two remain hidden." "Perhaps the remaining fragments aren't alive or dead, but in between," Luxern suggested. "That time with your daughter and her stories has got to your head," Umbrax laughed. "Maybe so, she shows promise, I'd say she could take my position as the god of light soon. Say, how does her half-sister get along?" Luxern asked. "Luna seems to have more interest in crafting the night than actually ruling it," Umbrax informed his brother. "I feel sorry for Concord, his essence has been split into six," Luxern sighed. "What were they again?" Umbrax muttered. "Six fragments of Concord, Three of Chaos," Luxern murmured. "What was the remaining fragment of Chaos?" Umbrax asked. "I believe it was a draco... something," Luxern muttered. A letter flitted through a small funnel in their chamber. "It's a letter from Vitam! She's found another part of Chaos!" Umbrax smiled. Luxern whooped and looked at Umbrax as the colour drained from his face. "The first part of Chaos is a draconequus, the other is her son," Umbrax said. "Great, rather than fight each other odds are they'll send their kids up against each other, and since his daughter has quite the specialty with mending friendships, her opposite probably revels in breaking them, if he's a child of Chaos odds are he could dismantle the essences, we're screwed unless we can find the essences of Concord," Luxern moaned. "Even then you can only find five of them, the sixth will only appear when all five are united by a flicker," Umbrax recited. "I thought it was something else," Luxern questioned. "We wrote that, I know what I helped write," Umbrax shot back.

Vitam and Mortez stood on their perches on the cycle of life and death. A cluster of ponies flew in, possibly a war somewhere. Mortez sighed as she opened the gates for them. Her appearance was quite morbid, enough to strike fear into those who saw it. Vitam's appearance was far more calming, she had her wings spread out regally and her eyes were full of love for all things. It was no secret that Mortez had wanted her sisters position but the animosity between them had faded as Mortez realised she was freeing some ponies from the shackles of sickness and age. "Screw what Umbrax says or stands for, you're better off sticking with me," Mortez heard Luxern say, he wasn't denouncing his brother he was just saying look on the bright side of things.

3000 years after Chaos' apparent demise things had gone somewhat peacefully. Apart from some interference everything was calm. Twilight Sparkle looked to the endless supply of books in the library and searched for one to read until she was interrupted by Spike. "Twilight! It's a letter from Celestia, she says to bring Applejack and Rainbow Dash with you to her, it's apparently urgent. Finding the two of her friends was easy. Applejack was running errands and they ran into each other on the way through Ponyville. She only needed to shout out Rainbow's name to get her flying over. The two met Luna in the forest and they arrived in Canterlot not a moment later. After they reached Celestia's quarters they were taken aback by how much of a mess it was in. Celestia walked out of the shadows and Twilight noticed the bags under her eyes. She had received a letter from Shining saying that Cadence was suffering from nightmares occasionally. Perhaps the same thing was affecting Celestia. "Twilight, I'm glad you could make it, the frozen Discord recently dissolved and as you know Cadence has been having nightmares ever since," Celestia started. "Pardon me, but Ah think you've got 'em as well," Applejack noted. "Thank you Applejack, anyways after the statue of Discord dissolved its power vanished, not to mention some dimensions are under stress because something is trying to enter, this is most likely what is affecting both myself and Cadence, I've noted where the being is headed and I want you three to investigate and find out what it is," Celestia told them. Twilight accepted and gasped when she realised the location Celestia had given them. "Guys, this is the place we first found the elements, where we fought Nightmare Moon," She told the other two. "Our teleporting reach doesn't touch the forest, you'll be going by foot, be ready quickly," Celestia advised them.


	2. faux ami 1

As the trio of Twilight, Applejack and Rainbow Dash arrived at the old palace of the sisters they recoiled at the feeling of disorder emanating from the place. "This is way stronger than Discord," Twilight noted. "Why would Celestia send only three of us when this thing killed Discord who managed to turn all six of us against each other?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Divide and Conquer?" Applejack suggested. "What do you mean by that?" Twilight snapped, wary of her friend's apparent distrust. "What Ah mean is that perhaps Celestia isn't as powerless as she might seem," Applejack countered. "Rainbow Dash, talk some sense into her," Twilight pleaded. "I'm only loyal to the ones I trust, I don't see our wonderful leader willing to fork out so much as a helping hand if it didn't somehow bolster her rule," Rainbow Dash said hovering above the other two. "Think about it, Nightmare Moon? I'm not saying I'd like Celestia to have done it but sending somepony with no knowledge of the once force that could free Luna, bit risky don't you think?" Rainbow snapped. "Where are you going Twilight?" Applejack asked. "Confronting whatever's inside this ruin," Twilight answered. Twilight walked inside the ruins and spotted what looked like a unicorn convulsing in pain as its body contorted in ways that weren't just painful, they were physically impossible. Applejack and Rainbow Dash ran in and spotted the figure and Rainbow Dash nearly gagged. It looked at Twilight and one of its limbs flew into her head and she convulsed wildly as something sorted through her memories. The thing looked at one particular memory. Shining's wedding. It looked at Shining for a while before looking elsewhere. Twilight was watching these events just as though she was there. It looked at Cadence and Twilight felt it leave hastily, almost fearfully. As Twilight looked around her she spotted the same figure having taken an appearance that suggested he was between her and her brother in terms of age. He had a neon green mane that looked like jumping sparks and he was a blackish colour like Luna. "Who are you?" he asked fearfully. A being giving off such an immense aura of power was horrified of an alicorn whose main ability was to create and nourish love. "Who are you? And what are you doing in here?" Twilight snapped. "My name is Dirge, as for why I'm here? Make something up, your guess is as good as mine," he smiled. "What happened to being scared of Cadence?" Twilight asked with a hint of glee. "Yeah I'm worried about her. Never liked or trusted her," He smirked. "How did you know Cadence before now?!" Twilight yelled. "And why would you care?" he retorted. "Because she's married to my brother," Twilight answered. "And to think I was starting to like you, No matter, anything that even sides with that... monster is an enemy, You, her and anypony else!" He yelled as he lunged towards Twilight. She blocked him easily and he spun away. He launched spells from his horn that seemed to phase out of existence before they hit her only to reappear behind her. She blocked every shot and launched her own at the other pony as he ran towards her. It hit him head on and he was left bloody and shaken. He looked up at her and winced. "I give in," he breathed as he fell. "Is he dead?" Applejack asked. Twilight shook her head. "I won't kill him, but there is a chance someone might have to," Twilight said. "Sorry about all those words flyin' about, I dunno what came over me," Applejack apologised. "It's okay," Twilight assured her as she picked up the other unicorn and left the temple.

"I assume you know why you're here," Celestia said, an order as opposed to a question. "Because I seem to know way more than I should and am supposed to know?" Dirge smirked. "You're right, Twilight told me you knew Cadence before this and seemed to have some negative feelings towards her," Celestia inquired. "If I'm fully honest with you, I don't know, I don't know why I dislike her so it's kind of unjustified, like judging a book by its cover, I don't know why I dislike her but I know for a fact there has to be some reason, no matter how petty, I get these notions that I'm seeing events from some other time, perhaps these are nothing but they could well be something, until I can justify these I can only apologize for what I said in that temple," Dirge sighed. "You're pulling the amnesia trick," Celestia held in a laugh. "I'm being sincere," Dirge gasped. "Applejack!" Celestia called. "What is it?" Applejack asked. "I'll tell you when you get up here," Celestia told her. Applejack walked up to Celestia and Celestia whispered something in her ear. Applejack walked up and looked at Dirge. "Are you actually an amnesiac?" She asked. "Yes," Dirge blurted out the truth. Applejack walked back to Celestia and they exchanged more whispers. Applejack walked back to Dirge and asked another question. "What are the draconequii," she asked. "The draconequii were beings created by the goddess Chaos as a 'side project.' While she viewed these projects as a success her counterpart Concord wished for these to be annihilated. However the twin brothers Luxern and Umbrax stood against this campaign and forced him to accept their existence," Dirge explained before Celestia cut him off Dirge looked somewhat puzzled and he groaned as he and Celestia reappeared in Celestia's private room. "How in Tartarus do you know about them!?" She said exasperatedly. "Do you want me to repeat it? I don't know; it's as if these facts were pre-set into my mind!" Dirge snapped. Celestia looked away muttering under her breath. Dirge was almost afraid to speak and as he shimmied away to the door Celestia turned back. "I think you're wondering how I know about Luxern and Umbrax?" she said. "Never even crossed my mind," Dirge joked. Celestia cut him off with a cold glare. "You currently have two options, either you stay under quarantine in Canterlot, or I can swear everyone here into secrecy and you will stay with Twilight in Ponyville while I meet Luxern and see if he's been showing off his godly abilities again," Celestia sighed. "I'll go for the second option," Dirge decided without hesitation. They teleported again to the empty courtroom where Twilight, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were waiting. Celestia called the three of them over and when Celestia came back only Twilight accompanied her. "Where did the other two go?" Dirge asked. "I dropped them at their homes, Twilight is going to have to teleport you to her home, she has some protection spells that prevent anyone from teleporting in but her," Celestia explained. Before Dirge could ask a question a bubble surrounded him and Twilight and they arrived in a library. Dirge looked around and his eyes glowed in awe at the selection of books. Just as he ran to a nearby shelf Twilight's voice rang in his ear. "Excuse me?" Dirge turned around and took a breath. "Um, thanks. For letting me stay here, for a while," he muttered. "Well you're welcome to stay as long as you need to," Twilight assured him. Dirge stopped when he heard what she said and turned around slowly. "What?" he asked. "You can stay here as long as you need to, Celestia suggested you stay with me because… she saw that you had a solitary heart," Twilight told him. "Oh, and this has what to do with me staying with you?" Dirge asked. "Well, when I moved here first, I was somewhat the same as you, I didn't see what was so important about friendship and the values behind it," Twilight smiled. "It seems idiotic to ask but, do you hate me?" Dirge asked. Twilight looked puzzled. "Why would I?" she replied. "It doesn't matter, I was being dumb, I think I might just get a book and read for a while," Dirge told her. "Why not introduce yourself to my friends?" Twilight suggested. "I'd rather not, I'm kind of worried that I'd give a crap first impression," Dirge sighed. "I don't think you could make a worse one than mine," Twilight laughed. Dirge laughed himself and his mind began to turn. _'Who is she really? And why is she so… so… much fun to be with?'_

"Rarity, are you in there?!" Twilight shouted as she knocked on Rarity's door. "Twilight, I'm in the middle of something, have just a small bit of patience," Rarity shouted back. "What exactly does she do?" Dirge asked. "She makes dresses," Twilight whispered. As they waited and Dirge contemplated leaving they heard a bang and finally Rarity opened the door. "Ah, Twilight, I'm sorry about that, I'm working with Spike and he made quite a few mistakes," Rarity informed them as she ushered the two of them into her home. "And who might you be?" she asked Dirge inquisitively. "My name's Dirge, I'm staying with Twilight for a while," he told her. Rarity turned to Twilight. "Does Spike know about this arrangement?" Rarity whispered to her. "No not yet, I was planning to tell him when I arrived but he wasn't there," Twilight responded. "Well, now's your chance," Rarity said as Spike walked into the boutique from Rarity's "workshop" where she spent much of her time. "Hey Twilight, how was your trip to Canterlot?" Spike asked. "About that, Spike do you have somewhere to stay for a few nights?" Twilight asked him back. "Why?" was Spike's eventual response. "This is Dirge, Celestia asked that I take him in while she goes about business affairs," Twilight explained. "Couldn't he stay with Shining and Cadence?" Spike questioned. "Thing is, I was Equestria's ambassador in Trotland, however when they were invaded by Griffengland they were trying to kill any ponies in a high political position. The king of Trotland got away and asked me to send a message to Celestia; however when I got to Germaney a threat was put on my life. I was under royal protection but Celestia had to leave as an arbitrator for negotiations between both sides and suggested I go to Ponyville until tensions die down," Dirge lied. Spike's eyes were wide with awe and Dirge looked uneasy. "Spike is welcome to stay here while this mess is smoothed out," Rarity broke the silence and Spike agreed quickly. As they left Rarity and Spike Twilight looked at Dirge with a look of bemusement on her face. "Could you have invented anything less believable?" she asked. "They bought it didn't they?" Dirge replied. "They did but it seemed way too outlandish," Twilight told him. "So, who's next?" Dirge asked. "Fluttershy," Twilight replied. "What's she like?" Dirge queried. "She's nice, really, **_really _**nice," Twilight smiled.


End file.
